


SouRin & MakoHaru Drabbles

by bluefading



Category: Free!
Genre: Frottage, Future Fic, Ice Skating, Kiddies, Locker Room Sex, Love Confession, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Soulmate AU, Vampire AU, first cuddle, headcanon sousuke plays the guitar and has magical singing voice, manager sousuke & professional swimmer rin au, mermaid au, sexy car times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-05-15 13:10:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 9,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5786416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluefading/pseuds/bluefading
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mix of requests and original drabbles from Tumblr.</p><p>*New chapters: 13 (end)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. vampire AU

**Author's Note:**

> I love doing these requests for fun and to keep myself motivated to write, even if just a little, for improvement, so any feedback is appreciated!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 09/01/15  
> anon asked: Hi! If you want, can you do an AU where one of them is a vampire and the other is human? Thank you!
> 
> (sourin, mention of blood, brief sexy times)

Today was the sixth day Rin had seen the man loitering outside his window at night. At first glance, there was nothing out-of-the ordinary-about him. He wore a faded teal shirt that matched his eyes, jeans that looked like could have been hand-me-downs from a sibling, and an ever present frown that suited his dark, unkempt hair.

What irked Rin about him was that the man seemed to lack pigmentation in his skin; it was as white as the moon that lit his face. Rin knew it couldn’t have been a trick of the light, not when the full moon lit his face perfectly.

The strange man stood there, doing absolutely nothing but gaze ahead. Rin had never watched him long enough to know what the man was waiting for, but this time, he wanted to know. He sat on the ledge of his window with his forehead pressed to the glass. As his eyes traced the swirls in the man’s hair, his eyelids slowly became heavier and heavier. 

A single thought floated across his mind, and then darkness took over him.

Rin woke up with a jolt. He swung towards the noise that had awoken him. There was nothing there but his empty kitchen that was eerily overcast by shadows created by the moon. Annoyed by his uneasiness, he sighed and rubbed his forehead, sure that the way he had slept left an unsightly mark there.

A chuckle from behind Rin sent a shiver through his spine.

“You always could sleep anywhere.”

It was a man’s voice, deep and _cold_.

With his heart beating hard against his chest, Rin turned around slowly. There, by the edge of his sofa, stood the stranger from outside his window.

“How did you get in here?” Rin cried. Maybe asking a question wasn’t the most pertinent response, but it was the first one Rin could think of.

The stranger did not answer. Instead, he took a step closer towards Rin. Or, at least he thought it was one step, but the man was now only a mere foot from his face. His eyebrows were on fleek, Rin decided. And the other features of his face were mesmerizing.

 _Who are you?_ Rin wanted to ask, but he felt like it wasn’t the real question that itched the back of his mind.

The man’s lips were now grazing Rin’s ear, as he whispered, “I’ve been searching everywhere for you - no, every _time_.”

A second shiver struck Rin, somehow knowing the words were true. _Where have you been?_

“I’m not letting you go, this time,” the man said. Suddenly, his tongue was pressed against Rin’s neck.

The moist touch was intoxicating. Rin’s eyes rolled back as the other’s teeth dug into skin. The sharp pain produced silvery blood that ran down Rin’s collarbone.

“ _Sousuke_ ,” Rin breathed out.

“I’m here,” he answered.

Rin’s feet were no longer touching ground, and he quickly found himself thrown onto his bed with Sousuke atop him.

There was no defiance as Sousuke leaned down to kiss Rin. It was slow and steady at first, matching the rhythm their bodies swayed against each other. Soon, however, the kisses became _hunger_ and _greed_ and _longing_.

It was then that Rin saw flashes of a different lifetime. One when he had lived until his hands grew weak and his hair turned silver. All the while, Sousuke’s face never changed.

Rin pressed his face against Sousuke’s cold chest. He closed his eyes, and reveled in the comfort he was in. Rin’s fingers were cold now, too. The two lovers stayed that way for a long time, letting their heartbeats speak for themselves.

“I thought vampires couldn’t enter someone’s home without being invited,” Rin finally mused out loud.

Sousuke took one of Rin’s hands and intertwined it with his - a gesture so natural. “Earlier, when you fell asleep, what was your last thought?”

Rin pondered, his head still muddled from his recovered memories and the bliss he had just experienced. He pressed his smile against Sousuke’s skin as he remembered. 

He had wished that the man outside his window was beside him.


	2. car

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 09/11/15  
> anon asked: prompt: cars, sourin, nsfw or sfw :)
> 
> (sourin, a bit nsfw)

“Wait, Rin.”

Sousuke shifted uncomfortably in the porsche as the other settled himself. Rin’s legs were cradled around Sousuke’s, and his back was pressed against the steering wheel.

“Your car is too small for this,” Sousuke said.

Rin leaned in closer to Sousuke and whispered into his ear, “I thought you liked tight spaces.”

“Someone’s going to get hurt. Let’s just do this in the apartment.”

“Oh, _shut up_ , Sousuke.” Rin dug his mouth into Sousuke’s. Unwittingly, Sousuke instinctively kissed back. “Besides,” Rin parted from the kiss, grinding his hips against Sousuke, “you don’t intend to let me walk past the lobby like _this_ , do you?.”

Feeling Rin’s excited counterpart, Sousuke gave in. “Fine,” he said. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Rin pinned Sousuke’s shoulders to the seat. “I know what I’m doing.” With the other hand, he reached under to pull the lever and recline the seat. Now, there was a bit more room for Rin to stretch his back, but not much.

Sousuke pulled Rin’s sweater off and began trailing soft pecks from his chest down to his belly button. Rin was giddy with excitement. He’d wanted to fulfill this fantasy with Sousuke ever since he’d bought the car, and finally, it was happening.

“Take yours off, too.”

“Mmm,” Sousuke responded. He lifted his arms for Rin to slip his shirt off, which was much more of a task than it should have been, leading to elbows being scraped and bumped, and buttons in the car that Sousuke was pretty sure belonged in fancy bathroom hotels being hit, but both were too enamoured in their own heat to care. Sousuke caught Rin’s face in his palms and continued the kiss. The strands of Rin’s hair tickled the spaces in Sousuke’s hands. He loved the intimate feeling of tangling his fingers in them, like he was caressing something fragile but unbreakable at the same time. Briskly, other clothing were unbuttoned and unzipped.

Sousuke broke away from Rin. “Hold on.”

“Now, what?”

Sousuke sat up with one arm supporting Rin’s back and snatched a condom from the dashboard compartment.

“How did you know I put one there?”

Sousuke snickered. “ _Rin_. How many times have you hinted at wanting to do this?”

“Many,” Rin answered, not feeling enough guilt to feel flustered.

Sousuke looked down at their legs soundly pressed together. “Now comes the hard part.”

Rin only rolled his eyes then rolled on to the passenger seat. He reclined it and laid on his back. “You’re just too lazy,” Rin commented. Then, he lifted his legs to tug his jeans off.

“Do I have to do this on my own, too?” Rin waved the square packet with his fingertips.

“No, sir.”

Sousuke moved on top of Rin, taking the condom from him. “This position is worse,” he said. Sousuke’s whole body enclosed Rin’s, with his back taking up most of the space of the roof of the car and with his arms awkwardly crammed in between whatever crevices were left. He frowned at the situation. His lower lip was ever so slightly pouted out.

This made Rin laughed. “Fuck. Sousuke, you look like a caged bear.”

Sousuke looked around to try and find a way to lower his back without his bottom hitting the dashboard, but only found himself in an even more ungodly position. “This isn’t going to work.”

“Should I get back on top?” Rin asked.

“Nah. The mood’s ruined now.” Sousuke flopped back into the driver’s seat. Then he glanced at the disappointed Rin beside him. “Come here.”

Rin laid himself back on Sousuke, with his face settled on the other’s chest. He let out a loud sigh. “I guess it’s impossible, huh.”

“Cars.” Sousuke said.

“Hmm?”

“Were made for driving,” he finished. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to fully satisfy you in bed.”

“And I guess fantasies were made to stay in our heads?” Rin thought outloud.

Sousuke closed his eyes, soaking in Rin’s scent that had finally found home in the car, listening back to the echo of Rin’s laughter, and memorizing Rin’s weight on his chest. Not so long ago, they were things he was only able to covet in his own head.

No, Sousuke silently answered Rin, he wasn’t so sure about that.


	3. ice skating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 12/10/15  
> anon asked: prompt!! Sousuke using bad pickup lines (a la Gou~) to try and flirt/woo with Rin, who totally isn't catching on, but is also unintentionally flirting back and making Sousuke internally scream. Kudos for them finally kissing like the huge dorks they are and Rin mercilessly teasing Sousuke for kind of self-combusting :> (basically dorky, cute sourins pls!)
> 
> (sourin, fluff, ice skating, love confession)

Sousuke drew out a heavy breath that rattled his chest. He watched the white puff that left his mouth dissipate in the air, and somehow, the non-permanence of it only made him more anxious. The grip he had on the railing clenched tighter. **  
**

“What the hell, Sousuke? Are you going to stand there like a baby forever?” 

Rin stood a few feet in front of Sousuke, well inside the skating rink, while Sousuke had barely left the entrance.

Testing himself, Sousuke moved his left foot forward, but instantly lost his balance. He wobbled in his skates, and the muscles under his sweater and coat tightened as he secured himself closer to the railing. “Dammit Rin,” Sousuke hissed, too embarrassed to look at his friend in the eyes, “this is harder than it looks.”

Rin laughed at the rare image he was seeing; it was like watching a fawn take its first steps. Even though it must have been a hundred degrees below freezing, Sousuke’s dark hair clung to his forehead from sweat. For a moment, Rin considered leaving him there to suffer, but knew Sousuke would be pissed and that would only ruin the night. But before he reached him, a child who reminded Rin of young Gou skidded to a stop next to Sousuke. The kid had giant red curls that looked like could eat the whole rink.

She stood there looking up at Sousuke’s seemingly collected face, though Rin knew just how distressed he was inside, and held out a hand to him. Sousuke dropped his gaze to the girl’s hand in confusion.

The girl let out a giggle. “You’re supposed to take it, silly!”

Sousuke looked at Rin as if to ask him if the situation was safe. _She’s a fucking child_ , Rin wanted to say to him.

“Alright. I have to warn you, though, I’m pretty heavy. Think you can still help me out?” Sousuke asked the child.

She slanted her head and grinned, keeping her hand out open for him to take. For a split second, her eyes slipped away from Sousuke to a group of other boys and girls across the rink.

 _Oh no_ , Rin thought, realizing what was happening.

Sousuke detached himself from the railing and reached for the girl’s hand, but before he knew what was happening, he’d landed face first on the ice.

A very loud and obnoxious laughter burst from somewhere in front of him. He lifted his face to see Rin bent over, his arms wrapped around his stomach. His whole body vibrated from laughter, but Sousuke’s vibrated from anger.

That damn brat had snatched back her hand just when Sousuke was about to take her offer. Now he found her with a group of friends, in a fit of giggles.

Rin finally skated towards Sousuke, a smirk still stretched on his face. “Oi, Sousuke, c’mon. Get up.”

“No, just leave me here.”

Rin knew he wasn’t serious, but he hated it when Sousuke became difficult. “You’re the one who wanted to come here and let me teach you in the first place.” Rin looked around at the people staring at the man sprawled out on the ice. One woman was taking photos on her phone.

“And plus,” he added, “you’re embarrassing us.”

“Fine,” Sousuke said, remembering the real reason he asked Rin for this favor. A few days ago, he had gone to Gou for dating advice - or more specifically, for advice on how to confess to Rin. He thought about the over-enthusiastic-with-no-real-experience practically sister of his and how that girl who tricked him looked an awful lot like each other. But Sousuke didn’t have any other choice - Gou was one of the people who knew Rin the best and one of the only people who knew about Sousuke’s feelings for him.

He let Rin help him up, at the same time deciding to put his faith on Gou.

“Okay,” Rin said when Sousuke was finally on two-feet and they faced each other. Rin supported him by placing his hands under Sousuke’s elbows and letting him cling onto his forearms. “I’m going to start moving. Just don’t think too much about it. Keep your eyes forward.”

“Sure. I’ll just keep my gaze on your eyes.”

“What?”

 _Fuck_. “Nevermind, just go.”

Rin began skating backwards. Sousuke followed, keeping with the steady rhythm Rin set. With each glide, Sousuke felt a little more confident. He lightened his grip on Rin.

“Hey, I think you’re getting the hang of it!” Rin exclaimed. “Not bad, Sou. Ready to let go?”

Sousuke brightened at Rin’s complement and at the crooked grin that came with it.

He almost let go of Rin to show off to him how he could skate by himself, but thought better of it. No, the best way to go about this was to let Rin keep thinking that he still needed his help.

 _Let him feel needed_ , Gou had said. _Guys like that_.

“Rin, I’m not sure. I don’t think I’m ready yet. In fact, I feel myself getting worse.”

“What the hell are you talking about? You’re doing fine.”

“Nope.” Sousuke pulled Rin closer so that their chests met.

Unsure if he was flushed from the coldness or from the sudden closeness, Rin looked up at Sousuke in question. “Uh, Sousuke?”

“This is better,” was all he said.

“This is awkward,” Rin returned.

Sousuke’s hands were still on Rin’s forearms, and Rin’s still on the other’s elbows, that their arms clashed in the tight space.

“Then,” Rin grabbed Sousuke’s arms and wrapped them around his waist. “at least make it more comfortable for the both of us.”

Sousuke’s face suddenly turned beat red. What was Rin _doing_?

“Dude, are you alright?” Rin asked.

At a loss for words, Sousuke blurted out a line he learned from Gou. “A-Are you a map? Because I’m getting lost in your eyes.”

Worried, Rin took a small step back. “Sousuke?”

“No, I mean do you _have_ a map? Because I - uh.” Were they spinning? Because it certainly felt like it.

“Seriously, Sousuke. What’s with your obsession with my eyes today?”

Trying to calm himself, he focused on Rin’s eyes. He really did get himself lost in them. Their amber hue matched the lights that decorated the rink and the tall pine trees. White snow landed on his long lashes that contrasted with his reddening cheeks.

“Are you cold?” Sousuke asked. “It’s beginning to snow.”

Sousuke’s heartbeat finally started to calm down, but Rin’s was only beginning to spur.

 _What was happening?_ Rin suddenly felt the urge to officially close the gap between them. “Sousuke?” he said again, this time a little out of breath.

Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. _Fuck_. Rin looked so alluring right then and there.

“R-Rin?”

They had no idea what happened next, but somehow, both had lost their balance and Sousuke had toppled on Rin.

“Are you okay?!” Sousuke asked louder than he probably wanted to.

Rin let out a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Dammit, Rin. I’m sorry.” He slipped his hand under Rin’s head to make sure there was no blood. His hand also found the warmth of Rin’s, and he kept it there.

“I said I’m fine,” Rin said, but with little effort.

Their eyes met again, and this time, both hearts pulsed in tandem.

Sousuke had always been Rin’s best friend. He was the person he came to for advice. The person he lashed out his frustration on. The person he could laugh the loudest with - or _at_. The person he felt the most comfortable with in every way possible. And now, he was the one person he wanted to -

Placing both his hands on Sousuke’s face, he pulled him forward towards his. The kiss was soft and shy, but filled with everything he could hope for. It warmed every part of his body, but also left traces of frosty tingles on his fingers, toes, and lips.

Unwillingly, Sousuke broke away from the kiss first. He had to tell him before he lost his nerve again - before it was too late.

“I love you, Rin.”

Rin blinked up at Sousuke. There was nothing on his mind. Not the crowd that must be staring at them. Not the fact that they were both men. Not that he was leaving for Australia soon.

“I love you, too, Sousuke.”


	4. cuddling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 12/12/15  
> [silverandsapphire](http://silverandsapphire.tumblr.com/) asked: When someone says they'll take drabble requests, I just gotta do it! ^_^ So how about SouRin and the first time they've ever cuddled?
> 
> (sourin, fluff, first cuddle)

Mrs.Matsuoka opened the door expecting to see the usual, wide, polite smile on Sousuke, but tonight, it was replaced with a pout. Arms crossed around his chest accompanied the huffy appearance. She watched as her son beside her mirrored his best friend’s image.

Her eyebrows raised, bemused by the fact that Sousuke had still traveled all the way for the sleepover even though it was obvious that the two boys had had a recent spat.

“Well,” Mrs.Matsuoka said, noticing the duffle bag weighing down Sousuke on one side, “why don’t you come in and drop off your things in Rin’s room so we can all eat dinner?”

Still too sour to speak, Sousuke did his best to respectfully address Mrs.Matsuoka and thank her. He abandoned his bag in Rin’s room, which Sousuke found irritably too neat. _God, that freak. Did he need to have his books arranged alphabetically?_

“What are you doing?” Rin said from behind him. Rin’s expression was detached, unsure whether or not he still wanted to be mad at Sousuke. Deep down, all he wanted was to let the whole thing go so they could enjoy the sleepover. After all, that’s why Sousuke still came over, right?

“Nothing,” Sousuke answered flattly.

Rin scratched the back of his head. “Dinner’s ready.”

They ate their dinner with the usual talk of Mrs.Matsuoka’s day of chores, like picking up Gou from school or going to the market to buy fresh groceries. Even with the mundane topics, Sousuke found that she could always make her stories interesting. _The fish gawked at me like an alien! I honestly thought it was going to eat me!_ She exclaimed, coaxing a momentarily chuckle from the two grouchy children and Gou asking to repeat the story again.

Finally, after the boys helped the sibling’s grandmother with the dishes and the youngest was settled in bed, Rin stuck the VHS his mother finally let him borrow, after begging her so many times, into the player.

He sat on the floor against the side of his bed. Then he glanced up at Sousuke who was still standing by the doorway. “Are you going to watch this with me or not?”

“How did you even get that movie, anyways?” Sousuke muttered.

Immature tantrums were involved, Rin recalled, but that was something Sousuke didn’t need to know.

He shrugged. “Mom said I was old enough.”

Sousuke snickered. “Yeah, right.”

“It’s true!”

From Rin’s sudden watery eyes, Sousuke decided to ease up on him, afraid he’d trigger something worse. “Fine, I believe you,” he relinquished.

Sousuke settled himself beside Rin, leaving more space between them than he preferred. _Ring_ barely began playing on the screen and already Sousuke noticed, at the corner of his eyes, Rin’s bare toes curling up. He knew Rin wouldn’t be able to handle this. Now, he’d have to deal with a crybaby for the rest of the night.

At the middle of the it, it was obvious that the horror movie was scaring Rin witless. Wide-eyed and lip-bitten, a petrified look covered his face.

Sousuke motioned to move from where he was sitting, but before he could fully stand up, a hand caught the hem of his shirt.

“Where are you going?” Rin whimpered.

“Calm down,” Sousuke said. “I’m just going to get the blanket from my bag.”

Afraid he’d lied to him and disappear, Rin’s eyes followed Sousuke. A silent relief washed over him when he saw his best friend pull his blanket out and walk back over to his spot. The blanket was dropped around Rin’s shoulders.

He looked up at Sousuke. “What are you doing?”

“You looked cold,” he stated with no further explanation.

Rin didn’t need one. He knew Sousuke was trying to comfort him. How stupid he must look right now, but for some reason, it didn’t seem to matter all that much. He accepted Sousuke’s aid. His friend sat back down.

“Better?” He asked.

Rin nodded. He looked over at Sousuke who suddenly looked so exposed. His face had softened from before, but his ever-dark, creased eyebrows made Rin ponder what they had been arguing about earlier that day. Was it because Rin kept winning the bets they placed on jankenpon? No, that was from last week. Maybe it was because Sousuke kept teasing him about his new haircut … but he’d gotten it cut almost a month ago.

Suddenly feeling sleepy, he rested his cheek on his knees, his gaze still settled on Sousuke’s profile. _How could he stay so calm throughout the movie?_ He wondered.

“Hey,” the drowsy Rin began, “you should come inside too.” He lifted his hand to create an opening for Sousuke under the blanket.

At first, Sousuke scoffed at the offer. Then he figured, what was the harm? He was getting a little chilly anyways. Scootching over closer to Rin, he took the other side of the blanket and wrapped it around himself. Rin immediately shifted his head and placed it on Sousuke’s shoulders. His eyes were closed now.

Dumfounded, Sousuke froze still.

“Hey, Rin?”

“ _Mmm_?”

“Are you asleep?”

“ _Mmm . ._.”

Sousuke could feel Rin’s steady breathing against his own body. The rhythm almost felt like a lullaby that was singing him to sleep. The horror movie forgotten, he closed his eyes and followed his friend to a dream.

 

* * *

 

 

Mrs. Matsuoka noticed the lights inside Rin’s room still open. It was nearly 2am in the morning. Those boys were going to get a lecture - maybe make them clean the bathroom if they insisted on staying up this late. She opened the door to his son’s room, but before she could let a word out, she noticed the two boys snuggled beside each other under a blanket. Sousuke’s head was rested on top of Rin’s.

A small head popped out from beneath Mrs. Matsuoka’s arm.

“Gou, what are you doing up?”

“ _Shh_ , “ the small girl warned, placing a finger on her lips. She examined what she saw in front of her. There was something very natural in her brother and his best friend comfortably asleep that way. Gou couldn’t place a word for what she was recognizing, but it gave off a feeling of satisfaction that tugged a smile on her face. A soft giggle escaped from her.

“Maybe I should be making _you_ clean the bathroom,” Mrs. Matsuoka said, taking another glance at the boys and echoing her daughter’s smile.


	5. guitar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 12/16/12  
> [shingeki-no-splash](http://shingeki-no-splash.tumblr.com/) asked: 1) SouRin 2) Lots of fluff like kissing while slow dancing or something really cute Plz tag me in it when you write it! (If u want to)
> 
> me: thank you for the request! There’s already a super cute short fic I’ve read of sourin dancing that you can read [[here]](http://silverandsapphire.tumblr.com/post/134031042060/nonsexual-acts-of-intimacy-slow-dancing), so instead I wrote you something based on a headcanon that sousuke plays the guitar. I hope you like it!
> 
> (sourin, fluff, sousuke teaching rin how to play the guitar)

A soft melody traveled its way from the study room into the kitchen. It wasn’t a song Rin had heard before, but the work of it was familiar. He could almost picture the fingers that were playing, strumming each string like they were trying to tread water quietly. They left ripples of afterthoughts that took Rin back to a childhood memory. 

It was of him and Sousuke hiding in a closet together during a game of hide-and-seek. The piano played by Sousuke’s father could be heard through the seeps of the door. In that small space, they promised to never leave each other’s side.

Rin dropped a spoonful of sugar into one of the cups of coffee and brought them over to the study where he found Sousuke sitting on an armchair with his guitar on his lap. Although he could play with his eyes closed, the musician’s head was bowed as he traced his fingers with his eyes. Without a word, Rin placed the cups on the coffee table and walked over to Sousuke. He looked up at Rin with a smile and surrendered his guitar to one hand to let Rin replace his empty lap.

The early morning sun greeted the two as Rin took Sousuke’s offer. Its rays warmed the cool, wooden floors and made visible the dust that floated in the room. Sousuke wrapped his arms around Rin, bringing the guitar back in front. Rin pressed his back closer to his boyfriend’s chest, so there was more room for him and the instrument.

“How does it go again?” Rin asked.

Sousuke took Rin’s hands and placed them on the strings. “This one,” he guided Rin’s fingers to the third fret, “goes here.” Rin plucked the guitar with his other hand, producing a single note that reverberated throughout the room.

A grin formed on the student’s face. “And then, what?”

“And then,” Sousuke’s words chimed in Rin’s ear, “this.”

Again, Rin plucked at the string, delivering the perfect pitch.

As Rin replayed the new verse he had learned, Sousuke began humming the lyrics that came along with it. His voice was something Rin could listen to forever. Sousuke pressed that hum onto Rin’s neck.

Rin lost track of where in the song he was, but his fingers kept playing automatically. All his attention was on the traces of kisses that Sousuke was leaving down the back of his neck. Sousuke lifted Rin’s hair out of the way as he continued.

“Mmm.” Rin closed his eyes. “That feels nice.”

A muffled chuckle slipped from Sousuke. “Yeah?” he asked.

Rin nodded.

“Should we continue this somewhere else?”

“The coffee’ll get cold.”

“Then, let’s bring it with us.”

There was no logic in Sousuke’s solution, but Rin complied anyway. “Okay.”

Sousuke picked up the already lukewarm beverages and began following Rin into the bedroom, but before Rin exited the door, he turned back to Sousuke, a small wonder encompassing his mind. 

Rin looked at the man who made melodies for him. “What was the name of that new song you were playing earlier?”

Careful not to drop the cups in his hands, Sousuke joined Rin by the doorway to whisper in his ear.

“ _Don’t leave me here alone_.”


	6. home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 01/14/15  
> [ramenkitsune1213 ](http://ramenkitsune1213.tumblr.com/) asked: SouRin Prompt: Sousuke coming home to Rin after a long day. Your call on nsfw or sfw. Either would be okay.
> 
> (sourin, fluff, swim manager sousuke & professional swimmer rin au)

A loud sigh escaped Sousuke as he dropped his keys on the counter. It was nights like these that he tried his best to keep rare. His head ached from all the rescheduling and number crunching, and not to mention, his back and legs were sore from having to sit behind his desk and talk to clients all day. With the Winter nationals coming up, it couldn’t be avoided. At least, he was able to get Rin’s calendar and documents settled first.

The lights in the bedroom were open, revealing the tactics that Rin used to try and keep himself awake: a book upside-down and half-opened, an empty coffee mug on the bedside table, and half a glass of milk. A smile formed on Sousuke’s face. It was funny. Tiring nights like these, he hated, but coming home from them left an inexplicably light feeling in his chest.

Sousuke stripped down to his boxers and joined his partner under the covers. Rin would kill him if he knew he went to bed without showering first.

“But you won’t find out ‘till morning, huh?”

Rin’s mouth was slightly open with drool trickling from the corner and onto the pillow he was hugging. Sousuke wiped the moisture off with his finger. His hand lingered around Rin’s cheek, and he allowed himself to stroke his pale skin. He was sure if Rin was awake, they would be bright red. It wasn’t often Sousuke was able to get Rin so close to him without one of their heartbeats racing. Tonight, Sousuke’s fingers were steady, and Rin’s body under the covers pulsed a constant rhythm.

Groggy, auburn eyes found Sousuke.

“Sorry, did I wake you?”

Rin lifted his head a little to wipe the rest of the saliva Sousuke had missed. He knitted his eyebrows. “Your hand’s cold,” he mumbled.

Sousuke’s smile grew wider. “Can I have my pillow back?”

“No.” Rin tugged at the pillow in his arms tighter. “You don’t get one as punishment for coming home -” Rin glanced behind him at the alarm clock. “At three in the morning.”

The space between them shortened as Sousuke leaned in closer. “Is there something I could do to make it up to you?” His husky voice came out chopped and tired, but still affectionate.

“Get rid of the pillow,” he whispered into Sousuke’s ear.

Sousuke slid the pillow from the other’s arms, bringing Rin into his own so that his arm now served as a cushion.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

From under his chin, Sousuke felt Rin shake his head.

“I don’t mind - as long as you come home to me at the end,” Rin admitted. A warmth spread throughout his body. Rin wasn’t sure if it was from the confession or from having another body intertwined with his.

A chuckle reverberated in his ear. He loved hearing his laugh, he thought.

“Whatever.” Rin dug his head further in the crevices between them. The agency building had a few private bedrooms for athletes who needed to stay over. Sousuke could fall asleep anywhere, and he had the keys to those rooms, and Rin knew how exhausted he must be, yet he still made the hour travel home.

“Go to sleep,” he ordered him.

“Yes, sir.”

“And when you wake up . . .”

“Yeah?”

“Make me breakfast.”

Another laugh. “Of course.”


	7. mermaid AU (MakoHaru)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 12/14/15  
> anon asked: Makoharu mermaid au please ~
> 
> (makoharu, fluff, college & mermaid au)

Tokyo had over 13 million people in it. Makoto lived passing their lives everyday. A small thank you, a smile of greeting, exchanges during the wait in line for coffee, were all he ever gave and took from strangers. Not that he didn’t have any friends - Tachibana Makoto knew many people and many people knew him. It wasn’t an irregularity for him to be asked out to a party twice in a week or to be fought over for as company. However, for the two years he’d lived in such a populated city, Makoto had never met anyone he thought he could reveal his whole self to. **  
**

**Day 1:**

It was the beginning of the semester and as soon as the dark-haired man entered the lecture hall, everything in sight seemed to disappear apart from him. To be honest, Makoto almost wanted to call him a boy. His shoulders were slumped, and he carried his books close to his chest, making him look all the more smaller. He sat at the back of the room, where Makoto couldn’t see him.

**Day 3:**

Makoto realized his eyes were the ocean.

**Day 5:**

The room was cleared aside from Makoto and him. He cleared his throat to gain the other’s attention. The stranger lifted his head up from where he had been stuffing his books in his bag and looked at Makoto. His eyes held melancholy, Makoto realized. Without real knowledge of his own intentions, Makoto introduced himself.

“Hello,” he began. “My name’s Tachibana.”

Unwavered, the man bowed his head in greeting. “Nanase.”

Nanase continued placing his belongings in his backpack. The sticker on his laptop displayed a logo for another university. One that was a few miles out of the city.

“Did you just transfer here?” Makoto asked.

Zipping his bag closed and swinging it over his shoulder, Nanase replied yes.

Makoto’s heart began raising from the excitement of a chance. “Ahh, then, would you like me to show you around? I know a great place for coffee. Or we could take a look at museums. There’s this amazing one filled with sculptures based on western history.”

Nanase turned his head away. Makoto figured he was shy, or maybe he was feeling bothered, but then he noticed the way Nanase’s eyebrows had creased ever so slightly, and how his lips pursed as he looked out the window of the classroom. The Tokyo bridge and bay could be seen in the distance.

Nanase glanced at his watch and shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he replied. “I can’t.”

“It doesn’t have to be today,” Makoto offered. “How about this weekend?”

A silence was held between them as Nanase pondered.

“Okay.”

**Day 7:**

They met at Makoto’s favorite cafe for breakfast. Nanase was already seated a table blowing at his coffee to cool it down. Makoto couldn’t help but smile as he brought over muffins for them to share. They talked about little things like their favorite foods, the best spots to watch the sunrise in the city, and what they did during their free time, which carried on to a conversation about swimming that then, somehow, lead to a discussion about the lack of fresh mackerel in the school’s cafeteria. Makoto learned that Nanase liked to answer in short sentences, if not in one word.

“Do you have any siblings?” Nanase asked.

All of the questions had been asked by Makoto, that Nanase’s question caught him off guard.

“Yeah,” Makoto answered. “I have two. They’re twins. The most precious children, even though they can get annoying at times.”

Nanase took a sip of his coffee. “Sounds nice.”

“I figure you don’t have any of your own?”

“No, no one.”

**Day 10:**

Nanase always wore long-sleeved shirts. A heat wave was over Japan, and Makoto worried Nanase was going to pass out. When he asked him about it, Nanase only tugged at his sleeve lower.

“At least make sure to drink plenty of water,” Makoto told him with a careful hint of plea, knowing that Nanase didn’t like being bossed around.

Nanase smiled at Makoto for the first time. “I will.”

Makoto’s heart jumped.

**Day 11:**

Makoto discovered that Nanase’s first name was Haruka - a name meaning _distant_.

**Day 47:**

It had been six days since Makoto last saw Haru, which was odd because ever since they first went out for coffee, they had been seeing each other almost everyday. It was also odd because Makoto didn’t take Haru for someone who would skip classes for no reason.

Out of all the places Makoto had shown him for the best places to watch the sunrise, Haru’s favorite was the secluded area of the bay. It had a giant boulder that blocked off view from passersby. Makoto settled himself against the rock and waited, somehow knowing he’d find Haru here soon.

Water splashed on his face woke Makoto up with a jolt. He opened his eyes to see Haru’s face very close to his own. Makoto’s began to warm up, and he hoped that Haru would splash more water at him.

“What are you doing?” Makoto asked, as it only started to dawn on him that Haru was soaking wet. He glanced down and saw that Haru was half naked, but not only that, his other half was covered in scales. They reflected off various colors of blue and purple that Makoto didn’t even know could exist. At the very end of his body, instead of feet, were fins that reminded Makoto of the wings of butterflies. Haru’s arms were also lined with scales, but the hue in them were a bit more faint, almost invisible.

“You’re a -” Makoto shook his head in disbelief, but at the same time, it wasn’t all that unbelievable.

“Merman.” Haru finished for his shocked friend. He inched backwards until he was fully back in the water, and Makoto could only see him from his shoulder up.

Makoto didn’t move in response, and only stared at his friend. Then, his gaze switched to the vast ocean that Haru was a part of.

A sadness took over Haru’s usual aloof expression. “Are you afraid of me?”

“No,” he said, assuring Haru. “I’m afraid of the ocean.” It was a secret he rarely spoke out loud. He laughed at how stupid it must sound, especially for someone like him who loved to swim.

“I don’t think it’s dumb.”

By now, Makoto had gotten used to the fact that they could practically read each other’s minds.

Haru submerged himself underwater, and after a while Makoto saw him again. He jumped out the water like a dolphin, with drops of water glistening on his tail and following him back down.

Haru was beautiful, he thought. Maybe the ocean wouldn’t be so terrifying anymore.


	8. locker room (nsfw)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2/2/16  
> anon asked: Sourin, sousuke can't wait till they get to their dorm room, Rin gets a lil mad but eventually gets super turned on (locker room sex) yes plz nsfw
> 
> (sourin, NSFW, smut, frottage, locker room sex)

Two weeks.

Naked collarbones, slick chest, god-like abdomens.

And five days.

Rin gritted his teeth as he ripped the corner of his gaze from Sousuke. Damn bastard. Prude. His silent name calling did nothing as Sousuke continued to pack his swimsuit and goggles into his bag and tug his shirt on.

“I’ll see you back at the dorm,” he said. Sousuke was eager to wash the chlorine off his skin and unwind back at their room. He rolled out the kink in his neck as he headed towards the locker room’s exit, dumping his damp towel in the hamper along the way. A hand grabbed his elbow, halting Sousuke at the door’s frame.

It was one of those spur of the moment ideas - and a terrible one at that. Much to Rin’s chagrin, the smell of sweat and days-old laundry covered the moist walls of the room, but he couldn’t let himself be bothered by that now. His lower half was eager. He needed this now.

“ _Sousuke_ ,” he pleaded. Rin was met with questioning eyebrows as the other turned around. His boyfriend’s expression quickly turned into one of apprehension as he deciphered the look on Rin’s face.

It wasn’t one that he often used.

Eyes half-lidded, mouth partly open. Crimson bangs purposely curtaining the sides of his face.

Sousuke’s adam’s apple bobbed. “Rin,” he began in warning. “You know we can’t do this.”

“Why not?” Rin’s fingers had crawled up to the collar of Sousuke’s shirt and dug themselves under to explore the skin that it touched. He brought his lips to the neck he was now caressing. A kiss was planted there before Rin moved up to Sousuke’s ear. “ _Why not?_ ” He asked again, beckoning

Without warning, the door behind them was slammed shut, and Rin was pulled by his hips so that his crotch came in contact with Sousuke’s. Their cocks were hard against each others. Mimicking Rin’s approach of allurement, Sousuke grazed his lips to the lobe of Rin’s ears, but instead of whispering words, he opened his mouth to gently suck on the sensitive skin. He accompanied the action by kneading Rin’s ass, causing a desired friction between the two.

A soft gasp escaped Rin. His hands clutched Sousuke’s shoulders as he allowed himself to be rocked by the up-and-down motion they created.

The friction between their pants was too great. Rin breathed out Sousuke’s name, causing an even greater turmoil in their movements. Their covered cocks rubbed against each other more vigorously that it caused Sousuke to growl within his throat. The vibration of it reverberated in Rin’s ear; it was the sound of pleasure that was going to put him over the top.

“I’m gonna cum,” Rin blurted.

Sousuke shook his head, the sweat on his forehead glistening.

“No, not yet.”

He drove Rin against the lockers, which shook the metal doors of those that were left open, creating clanging noises in between the boys’ shallow breaths.

Sousuke tugged at Rin’s sweatpants. “Damn, why’d you tie your knot so tightly,” Sousuke hissed. Rin ignored him, too busy planting flared kisses on Sousuke’s neck. Finally, the knot came undone, and Rin’s pants fell to his knees.

“We don’t have lube,” Sousuke barely got out in irritation. He wasn’t anticipating for this, but now that it was happening and every part of him was throbbing and aroused, there was no way he could stop now. “Or a condom,” he added, more to himself as a try for self control.

Still doused in the heat of it all, his other half wasn’t listening, only letting out queued _mmm_ ’s at whatever Sousuke was saying.

Sousuke scoffed. He peeled Rin off himself and turned him around to face the lockers. He pulled his own hardened cock out and stuck them in between Rin’s legs. With the sweat that had accumulated from the fever of their movements, it wasn’t difficult to imitate the hot, tight feel of Rin’s inside when it was prepped and ready.

“Sousuke, no fair,” Rin moaned. “Touch me.”

Complying with the demand, Sousuke’s hand moved to Rin’s excited cock, while the other remained secured around his waist for support. He began thrusting himself in between the tight space of Rin’s thighs and pumping the hot cock he held. It was sweaty and slippery too, like it had been smothered in lube.

“Faster,” Rin ordered. “ _Harder_.”

Sousuke’s motions quickened.

“ _Yes_ , more.”

Thrust. Thrust. Thrust.

“ _God_.”

Their breaths mingled with one another’s, their rhythms hasty and needy, and the metals clashing with the uncontrolled gasps of their names. This was it. What Rin had been deprived of for two weeks. And five days. Finally, both reached their peaks.

Sousuke’s forehead landed on Rin’s shoulder. Hot and heavy breaths escaped him.

“I can’t believe we did that,” he exhaled.

A sly smile formed on Rin’s face. “Yeah,” he said, still feeling the solid throbs of the hard cock between his thighs. “That wasn’t what I was expecting, at all.”


	9. comfy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 4/3/16  
> [with-atl-in-neverland](http://with-atl-in-neverland.tumblr.com) asked: prompt #5 or #39 for sourin?
> 
> (#5: “I don’t wanna get up– you’re comfy.“)

Rin had never been a big fan of sitting in the backseat. It felt alienating and delinquent, and not to mention, tasteless for the captain of the team to be sitting anywhere but up front to keep things in check. But Sousuke had seated himself back here, and if felt even _more_ wrong to sit anywhere but next to him.

At the corner of his eye, Rin noticed, with no surprise, his boyfriend starting to doze off. His head bobbed to his chin, then jerked back up when he felt the pull of gravity bring him down. Rin snorted at this, but continued to watch Sousuke’s eyelashes form perfect half-moons on his face. It would be another hour before they reached Tokyo for their meet, and the redhead wandered how long this fight with drowsiness would carry out.

Rin glanced around him to check if anyone was paying attention to the two seniors sitting at the back. Most of the other members were busy chatting with one another or were asleep themselves.

“Hey, Sousuke,” Rin whispered to the other’s ear, so close he could almost taste the ever-present chlorine on his skin.

There was no response.

He poked Sousuke’s cheek. Still none. Then nuzzled the tip of his nose to his earlobe. Nothing. Finally, Rin blew into Sousuke’s ear, which elicited a small twitch, much to Rin’s satisfaction. He couldn’t help but smile at the puppy-like gesture.

Then Sousuke let out a low _hmm_.

The sound made something in Rin stir without command. He backed away from shock, but before he could fully put a safe distance between them, Sousuke’s arm wrapped around the back of Rin’s neck and pulled him close.

“Bastard, what are you doing?” Their faces were too dangerously close for public.

“I should be asking you,” Sousuke responded with eyes still shut. “A nuisance was disturbing my dream.”

With peaked curiosity, Rin asked him what he was dreaming about. Sousuke had only started to fall asleep, how was he already dreaming?

His boyfriend opened his eyes. The first thing they set on was Rin.

“Irrelevant.”

He let go of Rin in exchange for lying on his lap. His knees were folded and his feet were pressed against the window side of the bus. The seat was already too tight for the both of them, now having space was but a fanciful concept.

“Get off.”

Sousuke shut his eyes. “I don’t wanna get up – you’re comfy.”

“C’mon, what if someone sees.” Not that Rin minded. Not really.

“Let me finish my dream.”

Relinquishing with a miffed sigh, Rin stroked back Sousuke’s hair. “What were you dreaming about?” He pressed.

Sousuke opened his eyes, again, setting them on Rin.

“ _Day dreaming_ ,” Sousuke corrected him.

 

 


	10. will you marry me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 4/5/16  
> [flyingbisonandtardis](http://flyingbisonandtardis.tumblr.com) asked: 051:"I wasn’t planning on asking you, but it appeared to me that life is short. Will you marry me? " For SouRIn~
> 
> (marriage proposal, time jumps)

“I’m never going to get married.”

As usual, random proclamations like this could come out of nowhere with Rin. The two were seated on the floor of Rin’s bedroom, playing the new board game Sousuke had gotten for Christmas. Sousuke picked up a card and moved his player according to what the piece of paper had told him to do.

“Why not?” He asked.

“Because I want to swim.” Rin’s cherry lips curved in response, showing off his teeth, which were somehow molding themselves sharper, but they only enhanced his charming, boyish look. Still, as an elementary schooler, it wasn’t rare for strangers to mistake him for a girl. His name didn’t help, either.

“It’s all I want to do, and it’d be unfair for my future kids to have a father who’d never be around there for them.”

Sousuke didn’t acknowledge nor deny what Rin admitted to him, but he understood where he was coming from. Living without a father meant Rin knew what it felt to have only one parent to rely on. And being the only male in his household meant he had to take on the role as man of the house. It was a lot for a child, Sousuke supposed. Maybe it even made Rin lonely, but his best friend wasn’t one to back down so easily.

For an entirely different reason, Sousuke had also decided he’d never get married.

At this age, he was well aware that boys could never get married to each other. And if that could never happen, well, there was no point in marriage. At least, not for Sousuke.

 

* * *

 

“Then, go ahead and ask me for anything.”

The two were perched on a set of steps outside their high school building. It had been years since they had made that promise. Losing a race in butterfly was all it took to have Rin tied to him by some commitment, and for a moment, Sousuke regretted bringing it up again. Once Sousuke collected what Rin owed him, there’d be nothing tying them together.

Rin took another sip of his cola as he waited for Sousuke’s response.

Still, Sousuke mulled over the two requests on his mind. Each were of their own selfish agenda, but then again, weren’t all demands like that? These were a bit calculating, though.

The first choice was to ask Rin to let him be a part of the relay team. It was a request Rin would be happy with, he thought. Except, of course, he wouldn’t know the reason behind it, and Sousuke intended to keep it that way for as long as possible. Sousuke would hate to see Rin cry over some busted shoulder. It wasn’t worth the tears.

And the second, well he knew the second was never really an option to begin with.

First of all, they weren’t even dating, and not to mention were barely out of high school, so jumping the gun with a marriage proposal was ridiculous. It was just the idea – _the possibility_ – of it that he wanted to be realized between them.

At this age, Sousuke was well aware that love shouldn’t be defined by doctrines and policies, but Rin’s reason for not marrying was because he didn’t want to abandon his kids. It meant that if he did want to get married, Rin would want children.

Sousuke could never give him anything close. Accepting this, he released a sigh and lifted his hands to the back of his head to lie on the ground.

“Give me a bit more time to think about it.”

It was an excuse to prolong the promise. Sousuke already knew he’d have to go with the first choice.

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe it!”

Arms launched themselves around Sousuke’s neck. The force faltered his footsteps back, but he regained balance by pressing his weight forward, against Rin’s naked torso, still wet from getting out of the pool.

Rin laughed into Sousuke’s ear. “I can’t believe it,” he repeated. “I won.”

“I always knew you could do it.”

They held onto each other, the euphoria high around them. The exhilaration made Sousuke want to kneel down and propose to him in front of everyone. They had already been dating for a little over four years. Sousuke knew at that if he asked, Rin would say yes.

But something still stopped him. In the back of his mind, Rin’s promised words still echoed. _I’m never going to get married_. They haunted him, because there was still a chance the answer would be no. It was all it took for Sousuke to settle for hugging Rin a little tighter and telling himself that _this was enough_.

 

 

Sousuke didn’t bother to turn on the lights as he set his keys the kitchen counter and headed to the bedroom. Rin had asked him could go home first, saying that he had a last minute errand to run. Even though the last thing Rin needed after exerting himself during the tournament was to be running around, he had urged the importance of the task he needed to do. Not that Rin even explained what it was.

Sousuke rubbed his eyes with his thumb. When he opened them, he noticed the bedroom door ajar. A dim light flickered in the room, created large, dark shadows on the walls. Sousuke walked in to find a lit candle on the bedside table. Next to it sat a folded piece of paper. He picked it up to read what was inside:

 

_I wasn’t planning on asking you, but it appeared to me that life is short._

_Will you marry me?_

 

The words were written in neat cursive, looping around each other like infinity signs. They almost looked fake. An imagination of desired letters. But before Sousuke knew it, they were smudged by drops of water, and he was reminded how very real those words were.

“Well, will you?”

Sousuke turned around to the voice to see Rin standing by the doorway with a small box in hand.

The sting in Sousuke’s eyes worsened as he thought of how ridiculous this was. He’d had his own set of rings stashed away for years, and here was Rin, who suddenly popped the question, with the most hopeful expression he’d ever seen on his face.

Instead of answering, Sousuke crushed his lips into Rin’s. He couldn’t be more happy.

 

 

The next morning, the two woke up to four rings, two on each bedside table.


	11. change of pace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 05/08/16
> 
> some morning fluff :)

There was relief - no, _triumph_ \- in being able to wake up with the sun - to catch it graze over the surfaces of the room, spill over the sheets of the bed, and dye everything in various hues of reds and oranges. To Rin, this was his alarm clock.

He’d push away from the covers, throw on a pair of shorts and a shirt, then set out to run. It was a routine he’d followed through and through since middle school. Staying in bed for too long made him uneasy and restless. Even when it rained or snow covered the ground, his feet continued to beat beneath him, because when he’d arrive back at the front door with labored breaths and sweat trickling down his neck, Rin found peace in the early battle.

But lately, peace came in the form of peppermint soap and dark hair.

He trailed the shoulder blades he woke up to with his eyes, soon replacing it with a finger that elicited a quiver under his touch. A low hum sounded from the body in front of him.

Rin leaned in closer to plant a kiss behind Sousuke’s neck, the short ends of his hair tickling Rin’s nose. The smell of soap was now a comfort he sought out. Rin liked that it was always slightly mingled with the scent of chlorine that made him think of being enveloped by the familiar coolness of water.

“Good morning,” he mumbled into the skin.

When he received no answer, not that he was expecting one from someone who could barely stay awake for brunch, Rin wrapped an arm around Sousuke’s torso and nudged a knee in between his legs. He felt Sousuke settle into the embrace.

They stayed that way, skins pressed together like tailored clothing, until the last ray of orange had long dissipated into yellow, and Sousuke’s words came mixed into a yawn. He turned to kiss Rin’s forehead, tucking the red strands of his hair behind his ear.

“You’ve been getting lazier and lazier,” Sousuke teased, his voice still thick from waking.

“Not true. I just thought it would be nice of me to join you running every once in a while.” Rin pressed down on his pillow, tilting his head to get a better view of Sousuke’s face. “Who knows where _you’d_ end up again.”

“Hey, I’ve only gotten lost twice.”

“Sousuke, that’s not impressive if you’ve literally been taking the same route each time.”

“Shut up.”

A smile played on Rin’s mouth, daring Sousuke to make him. Sousuke closed the gap with a tug at Rin’s bottom lip before diving into a full kiss. It was slow and lazy, almost lulling Rin back to sleep.

Sousuke was the first to break the trance. “Good morning,” he finally answered.

For Rin, mornings were supposed to start when the sun appeared, but lately, he didn’t mind beginning it with those two words, either.

“Yeah, good morning.”


	12. black wings (makoharu)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 06/09/16
> 
> fantasy, soulmate au

The first time Haru saw him, the creature had no mind, no legs, no voice. **  
**

Not in the literal sense, of course. Its legs were actually long and muscular, slightly tanner than Haru’s, but they stumbled around in the wood’s tiny clearing like its owner had no control over them. Haru had seen drunk men in the nighttime streets enough times to know that the creature was not intoxicated. He was more like … that fawn in that movie he saw as a kid. _Bambi_ , Haru recalled, as he inched further behind the tree he used as cover.

It also had two arms, a very naked torso (thank god, his bottom half was covered by some piece of cloth, though not by much), and a well-defined face that carried a set of green eyes. _Human enough_ , Haru thought.

As long as the large, charcoal-colored wings were ignored, that is.

Haru had never expected an encounter like this. He was an imaginative boy, people had said - always in his own world and whatnot - as proven by his drawings of humans with fins and tails, and sometimes, teeth as sharp as sharks’, but it wasn’t like Haru actually _believed_ in them. Despite what other people thought, Haru was practical. He liked solidarity. Things that didn’t make sense were tiring and frustrating, and he often left them alone or just accepted them as they were and moved on.

So, by now, Haru would’ve just walked away and attributed what he saw to daydreaming or to some sort of weird hallucination from drinking from that spring he’d come across earlier. (Hey, water was water, and he was freakin’ thirsty). And yet, Haru couldn’t help but be drawn to the black-winged man dancing around before him.

He wanted to believe what he saw, touch the feathers to confirm that they were real. Then maybe talk to it.

Him. Haru decided. Talk to _him_.

Like he heard Haru’s thoughts, the creature snapped his head, landing his eyes on on the the man watching.

Maybe, again, it was because of the spring water, but Haru thought he felt an itch just beneath his right palm, where an obscure birthmark stamped him. He’d been told that birthmarks were like blueprints to someone’s soulmate. Only a few were lucky enough to have one guide them, but Haru had never cared for the thought of being tied down some certain outcome. Plus, ‘soulmates’ or whatever were out of his range of practical.

However, today was a different story. 

There was a black-winged man staring at him. His birthmark, Haru now noted, looked a lot like spreaded wings. And the stranger before him was mouthing a word that looked a lot like his name.

 _Haruka_.


	13. boys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> june 16, 2016

"What, you _scared_ Matsuoka?"

An impending nausea rose in Rin before he quickly dismissed it. He scoffed. “Like that’s possible.”

“Well, we wouldn’t hold it over you if you decided to back out,” one of the kids said below him. “Yeah, ‘cuz we wouldn’t wanna pick unna a girl,” another contributed, and they all laughed like hyenas.

It took everything in Rin to swallow back spit he would’ve rather dispensed on their smug faces. No, he wouldn’t let them have this. All he had to do was slide off the branch and land. It was only an eleven foot drop, plus, the foliage would break his fall. Maybe.

“What are you waiting for Matsuoka? We don’t have all day.”

Rin adjusted himself, the bark scratching skin his shorts didn’t cover. Then he leaned forward, not daring to close his eyes.

“Rin!”

The boys all turned to the voice coming their way. “Yamazaki. What are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you,” Sousuke retorted. There was relief and horror in his face as he looked up at Rin. “You too,” he added.

“Relax, dude,” one of the boys said. “We’re just playing truth or dare.”

Sousuke narrowed his eyes at him. “I think you’re taking it too far.”

“ _Wuss_.”

Sousuke ignored him.

“Just like Matsuoka. Who can’t even get on a fishing boat without throwing up. His father’d be disa - ”

Without warning, the boy found himself knocked to the ground. He glared at Sousuke with flaming eyes. “How dare you!”

“That was the game, wasn’t it?”

Sousuke stumbled forward from an imitated shove behind him. “You tryna’ look for trouble Yamazaki?” Then a balled fist was planted on his face before he could react.

“ _Nice one_.”

There was a sudden thud. Rin had jumped from the tree and landed on the boy who had hit Sousuke. “What the hell? Get off me Matsuoka!”

He didn’t, holding down the boy as he struggled beneath him. “No one touches Sousuke,” Rin declared. “If you ever do that again, I’ll punch you twice as hard.” His voice became raspier with each word. “ I swear.”

“Let him go, Rin. It’s over.”

Like broken from a trance, Rin’s gaze snapped up to see that it was only him, the boy, and Sousuke left in the woods. The other kids must have ran like cowards. A tight grin pulled on Rin’s mouth. Hah.

He let go of the boy and watched as he scampered away from their sight.

“You’re crazy,” Sousuke breathed.

“And that’s a nice bruise you got there.”


End file.
